Follow senior Will Shafer as he embarks on his senior season at Gray New Gloucester HS. Shafer is one of the top distance runners in the state, he was the Class B state champion in the 800m, and ran the second fastest 1600m in the state in 2013. Shafer finished 10th in the Class B XC state championship last fall, see what he's doing to get to the next level
Hi all,
It's crazy how fast this season is going, but at the same time it feels like it just started. Nevertheless, it's time to sharpen up the legs with a little speed! After seeing the results from Manchester this past weekend and other results across the state, I think it's safe to say that Festival of Champions could be something special this year. The level of competition in Maine is far beyond previous years. Not only are times faster than they were in previous years, the depth and wide range of athletes running those times is incredible. I'm especially excited for Festival this year because I will actually be racing in the meet for the first time! After I take SAT Subject Tests in the morning I'll rush up to Belfast to get a little warmup time and a peek of the course before the gun goes off.
Speaking of fast times, I always enjoy seeing how much runners can improve from year to year. It's a testament to the sport and the athletes that it draws. If you put in the work you will be rewarded. The best example that I can think of for this is a runner on my own team. As a freshman last year, Ben ran 23:02 on our challenging home course. This year he committed himself to running and ran 18:03. The only thing more impressive than this stat would be if he improved by five minutes again next year! While that's not exactly realistic, it shows that running is a sport that rewards hard workers. To me, that's what has attracted me to the sport. I also believe it's one of the reasons why runners from all over the state get along so well, we understand what each other have gone through. The difficulties of training and racing help us bond, regardless of school affiliation.
On a sadder note, some of you may have heard of what happened at Gray- New Gloucester High School this past weekend. While I shouldn't go into too much detail, it would be better to clear everything up. During our homecoming, in the midst of soccer and field hockey games and other activities, there was a suicide in the parking lot next to the sports fields. A couple of my closest friends were the ones who discovered the body and reported the incident to police. The young man who took his life was not from my community, however, it has affected all of us deeply. Rather than causing chaos, the event helped bring the community together and we are doing everything we can to help Fryeburg and the people more directly impacted by the tragedy. Please keep these communities in your thoughts as you continue on with your season.
Best wishes, Will
